The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-07-21
KANSAS PROSPERITY.
The Sc. Zoe Papers Take Exceptions
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The Sc. Hoe Papers Take Exceptions
20 Governor Martins Letter.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, July 14.-The let
ter of Governor Martin, of Kansas, on
kansas Prosperity VS.. the Saloon In
terest, was received here with much in
terest. That portion of it, however,
which limited that the special dispatch
sent out from st. Joseph about Atchi-
son, Kans., being without a police or
fire department, and without electric
lights, was sent out by maliciously in
clined persons for the purpose of injur-
ing a rival city, has been the cause of
some discussion. A long statement in
answer TO this charge was prepared
tonight and was sanctioned by the
Herald and Gazette newspapers.
This statement sets out to prove that
the original dispatch sent from st.
Joseph to Chicago and afterwards in
corporated in the Associated Press re-
ports, this being the dispatch to which
Governor Martin took exception, was
founded on facts, and in fact was
the Atchison Champion, which paper
is edited by Governor Martin. The
statement then quotes copiously from
recent articles in the Champion tend
ing to show that the dispatch
whose accuracy has been ques-
toned did not vary materially from
articles appearing from time to time in
the Champion. Among the Champion
articles quoted in the support of the
claim that the dispatch was not SLAM
derous and that the correspondent only
sent out the matter as news item are
the following, the first one appearing
about June 18th, in which the Champ
ion explained why the city was in such
straits. The Champion said:
In the first place the County Com
missioners this year reduced the as
sessment a little more than one-half,
thereby depriving the city of a very
saloons were closed in Difference
to the state laws and the
license tax which formerly amounted
to ST., 900 year was cut off. With
this went the incomes derived from
fines in the police courts, which aver
aged 81, 600 year. Then the eXpendi-
lures of the city were increased to some
extent owing to the public improve
ments. Thus it happened that at the
end of the quarter ending June 30th
the city found itself without funds to
meet the current expenses. An occu-
patton tax was proposed and voted
down by the Council, whereupon the
Mayor, in obedience to resolution OF
the Council. discharged the police and
| firemen, and ordered that the electric
lights and gas be shut off. at the
| present time Atchison's gas, water and
electric lights are being donated to the
city.
The Champion made the following
statement, which goes to prove that
the special which Governor Martin
denounced as false was true according
to his own paper.
MAYOR Kelsey notified the police al
roll call last night that on the LIST OF
July the entire police, with the eXcep
ton of the marshal and one officer
will be suspended from duty. He gave
the officers the privilege of determining
among themselves who should remain
on duty, and they decided to settle i
with dice. Officer John Flannery wa
the winner, throwing q in possible
so. He will therefore remain on duty
and the others will retire tomorrow
morning. Marshal Price will deputiZ
citizens to act as policemen withOu
pay in the event of an emergency. IL
expects to remain on active duty tn
greater portion of the time and Office
Flannery will scatter himself over tn
city to the best advantage at night
The Mayor will pay the officers salary
Mayor Kelsey has also notified the fire
men that their services viii be dis
penSed with at the same time, but h
has given two of them tn
privilege of using the team belonging
to the Department on condition tina
, they will take care of them and hol
them in readiness to hitch up an
serve the city without paying in cas-
/ of fire. The firemen will probably az
! cept this offer and work in the street
} near the city building. The gas an
electric lights viii also be shut off tt
+ morrow
! The article concludes with moi
) quotations from the Champion wit
reference to the presence of bad char
T acters in Atchison, and as to tn
danger of more coming.